Improvement in combined cranks, ratchets, and brakes



i'mprovement in Combined Cranks, Ratche ts} and Brakes.

Ea X? M k Patented lune 13,1871,

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

ROBERT B. MCELRATH, OF NEWBURG, NEW YORK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. McELRA'rn, of Newburg, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new Oombination of a Crank, Ratchet, and Brake for Mechanical Movement; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and extion, is a single-armed lever with a pawl act.-

ing on the outside diameter of a wheel with ratchet-teeth, transmitting the power through the wheel and the shaft to the drum by which the weight has to be hoisted, the shaft acting only as a fulcrum for the lever without being fast to the lever, and when turned in the other direction is changed to a double-armed lever, the fulcrum being brought from the drum-shaft to a support outside the wheel, the shaft only serving as a guide for the short arm of the lever, which short arm is so shaped as to act as a powerful brake on the inside rim of the wheel which has the ratchetteethv on its outside surface. By changing the fulcrum of the lever the pawl on the lever is drawn out of the teeth of the wheel, so that the drum can turn backward without the handle turning with it, and the brake can be put in operation at any moment.

A is the drum on which the rope or chain R is rolled up, say, for instance, to hoist apail of water from the well. B 13 is the drumshaft, lying in two journals fastened to a suitable frame, S S, D is the ratchet-wheel, fast ened to the shaft at C.- d d are the ratchetteeth; K, the inside face of the ratchet wheel, and bored out L L the lever or crank; U, the handle; M,'the pawl, solid with the lever L 5 and H, a' hub of the lever, which is fitted on its face to the inside bore K of the ratchetwheel D. A slot, G, is cut in the hub, through which runs the outside end of the drum-shaft E B B and it is formed in such a way that Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,881, dated June 13, 1871.

when the lever L L is turned in the direction as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, the one end of the slot G- rests on the shaft E and the pawl M takes hold of either one of the teeth 11 d on the outside face of the wheel D. The hub H on the lever,- which fits to the inside rim K, recedes from the face K and comes in a position as shown in dotted lines, and the drum is turned around by the wheel D. To the frame S S is fastened a latch, N, on journals a a, which project beyond the frame, so that the lever has to lift the latch each time it is passing it but should the lever be turned the other way the latch N will prevent its be ing moved any further than to a position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

a If the weight is left acting on the rope R on the drum A the weight will stop in that place as long as the pawl M is left in the ratchet-wheel; but as soon as a power is pull- I ing on the end L as indicated by the arrow, the pawl M is drawn out the ratchet, and the hub H moved so that the slot G comes in a position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. This brings the face h of the hub H close to the in side rim K of the wheel D, and by pulling stronger on the lever L the latch M acts as a fulcrum of the lever L, and the face 71. of hub H as a brake on the inside rim K of the wheel D, and regulates the descent of the weight on the rope R, orit stops it entirely, according to the power used on the lever. Turning the lever or crank the other way again, the weight is raised again by the drum revolving the other direction.

Using this apparatus for hoisting water from wells or cisterns, it is often needed with a handle at each end of the drum-shaft, when the well is situated between two adjoining places, to be used on either side. The lever L on the side which is'not used will not turn with the drum-shaft; it rests on the latch N, and the shaft E turns loose in the slot G. This avoids all danger of being struck by the crank if a person should be near it and the shaft should be started from the other side; and if, for instance, by winding up the weight, the handle L should slip out the hand, it will only turn around until it strikes the latch N, where it will stop and allow the drum to revolve further. A pull on the handle L will put the brake in operation, andthe descent of the pawl M, hub H, ratchet-Wheel D,Withfrietio11- Weight can be'stopped. face K, drum A, shaft B B and latch N, sub- What I claim as my invention, and desire stantially for the purpose as specified.

to secure by Letters Patent, is ROBERT B. MOELRATH.

1. The lever L L with slot G, and With pawl M and brake H attached, substantially Witnesses:

as described, and for the purpose as set forth. THOMAS GoLDwELL,

2. The lever L, in combination With slot G, J N0. 0. NOE. 

